Tucson Hope Factory Micro Shelter Village

{2026 Architectural Education Award Winners — Collaborative Practice} Charles Dunn, Executive Director of Tucson Hope Factory, initiated this project, inspired by Sound Foundations NW’s Hope Factory in Seattle and a Drachman Institute report on micro shelters in Tucson. He engaged the studio to design a climate-responsive transitional shelter tailored for Tucson’s environment. The project also advances advocacy for zoning reform, addressing the current regulations that impose burdensome special exceptions on micro shelter communities. For their fifth and final year in the Bachelor of Architecture program, 16 students in the Community Design & Action Capstone studio worked collaboratively to inform and inspire the future development of the Tucson Hope Factory Micro Shelter Village. In Tucson, congregate shelters often enforce time limits that prevent long-term stays, and strict rules about personal belongings can further discourage individuals from seeking help. Common barriers include restrictions on pets, possessions, partners or family, and limited privacy can amplify past trauma or safety concerns. Micro shelter villages are temporary, low-impact solutions that can be placed on sites like parking lots, parks, or vacant land. Easily installed and removed, they require minimal site alteration and can adapt to changing community needs or land use plans.